Turkiye’s top diplomat invites DPM Dar to Istanbul meeting with Saudi, Egyptian FMs

Turkiye's top diplomat invites DPM Dar to Istanbul session with Saudi, Egyptian FMs.

Key points

• The foreign ministers from the four states are scheduled to meet weeks after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
• "Our vision for it is not limited to the three countries, " the Turkish leader informed the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat daily.
• Under the defence pact, Islamabad, Riyadh and Ankara will group senior ministers, hold joint exercises and deepen defence industry cooperation, according to the Turkish defence ministry.
• Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has additionally stated he hoped more countries would join the defence pact.
• Nullah Lai faces flood risk against the backdrop of heavy rains in Rawalpindi, Islamabad.

FO notes DPM Dar, Turkiye's FM Fidan discuss efforts to promote regional peace, stability over phone. DPM Dar confirms participation in upcoming R-4 session: FO. Pakistan, Turkish, Saudi and Egyptian FMs to attend moot: FO. R-4 session to be held in Istanbul afterwards this month: FO.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday invited Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to the upcoming session of the top diplomats from Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

FM Fidan extended the invitation to DPM Dar during a phone call, in which they exchanged views on recent regional developments and discussed efforts to promote regional peace and stability, the Foreign Office remarked in an official note.

DPM Dar accepted the Turkish foreign minister's invitation and confirmed his participation in the upcoming R-4 session, scheduled to be held in Istanbul afterwards this month, the FO continued.

For context, the development comes as regional powers move to strengthen security ties against the backdrop of the US-Israel war on Iran. It kicked off on February 28.

Meanwhile, the war in the Middle East has had a major impact on the region – drawing in a number of Gulf countries and paralysing maritime traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

For context, the foreign ministers from the four states are scheduled to meet weeks after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.

Signed on August 7, the agreement stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be regarded as an attack against them all.

According to Turkiye afterwards, the defence pact was open to expansion – with Egypt as a potential candidate – and did not seek to replace any existing alliances.

Speaking to the state-run Anadolu news agency on August 9, the Turkish foreign minister remarked that the alliance was not directed against Iran or any other country, but rather served as a general pledge to backing the three allies' security.

"Our president's vision is that we don't remain limited to three countries, that we grow and bring together all (regional) countries under this roof, " Fidan remarked, adding Egypt could potentially join the pact once certain technical matters are resolved.

"Our vision for it is not limited to the three countries, " the Turkish leader informed the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat daily. "Rather we aspire for it to grow, and perhaps appropriate conditions will emerge one day for all countries of the region to gather under its umbrella."

At a weekly briefing in Ankara on August 13, Turkiye's defence ministry remarked the pact's fundamental goal was to ensure defence and military ties were put on a "more institutional and sustainable" footing.

"Under the accord, strategic political and military mechanisms plan to be established involving the Defence Ministers, Foreign Ministers, and Chiefs of General Staff/Armed Forces Commanders, and that coordination among the three countries will be conducted at the highest level, " it remarked.

As well as air defence and unmanned systems were planned, along with deeper defence industry cooperation, the ministry continued that joint military exercises involving land, naval, and air forces. Nullah Lai faces flood risk against the backdrop of heavy rains in Rawalpindi, Islamabad. 'What Imran gets was under discussion for months'. Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircraft until Sept 24. Heavy rain lashes Islamabad, Rawalpindi as flood-warning sirens wail.

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For now, turkiyes top diplomat invites DPM Dar to Istanbul meeting with Saudi, Egyptian remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.